Container



Patented May 9, 1944 CONTAINER Wakeman G. McLellan and Roderick I. McLellan, San Francisco, and Wilson J. Field, Orinda, Calif., and Gustave H. Poesch, Columbus, Ohio, assignors to E. W. McLellan Co., San Francisco,

Calif., a partnership Application August 28, 1940, Serial No. 354,552

(Cl. S12-3l) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a container for preserving and transporting fresh cut flowers, particularly gardenias, camellias, etc.

One of the objects'of our invention is to provide an air and moisture proof package enabling fresh cut flowers to be kept fresh and unwilted over substantial periods of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attractive package for such fresh flowers which is adapted to display said flowers without opening or breaking the package.

Still another object of our invention is to provide an air and moisture proof package in which said flowers are visible and which encloses a body of moisture laden air around said flowers creating a vapor pressure Within said package, thereby preserving the flowers in a fresh and unwilted condition.

A further object is to provide a package for flowers which is durable and strong and will not break open while it is being transported and handled and yet fully displays the flowers through its wrappings. Other and further objects will appear in the drawing and description attached hereto.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the blank from which the tray is formed with the absorbent material and the flowers in position.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the tray in Fig. 2, without the flowers.

Fig. 4 is a transparent envelope which may be used with our invention.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a blank from which another form of tray provided with end pieces can be formed.

Heretofore, particularly in the wholesale flower business, where from six to three dozen individual flowers have been sold to retailers in a single container, the packaging of said flowers has been done in ordinary cardboard boxes or the like, sometimes provided with a layer of moist ab-V sorbent material below and above the blooms. These methods of packing were both clumsy and unsatisfactory for the reason that the moisture in the box readily dried out due to the box not being properly enclosed or air tight as well as the necessity of opening the box frequently to display the flowers to prospective buyers. Further difficulties were introduced by virtue of the i they often came in contact with one another for long periods of time which caused additional coloring and wilting. This condition would remain for considerable periods merely because it was not noticeable through the non-transparent packing, then being used.

Briefly described, our invention consists of a rectangular tray made of some flexible material such as cardboard, provided with two or more sides, whichever may be more convenient, having in either case, an open top so that the ilowers are visible at all times. Over the bottom of the tray and extending part way up on the sides, we provide a relatively thin layer of absorbent material, such as cotton, which is adapted to abscrbwater and to protect the petals of the flowers from the box. Across the top of this tray, extending from one side to the other, a thin strip of the material from which the tray is formed, may be positioned to hold the sides perpendicular to the bottom of the tray and to keep the transparent wrapping from coming in contact with the flowers. The flowers are placed in the box on the absorbent material in positions so asnot to touch the other flowers or the box. The tray and flowers are wrapped in a sheet of moistureproof transparent material and the edges and ends of which are heat sealed to pref vent any moisture or air from escaping from the box. Envelopes of this transparent material with one open end may also be used into which the full tray is slipped, after which the ends may be sealed as is the sheet described above.

In detail, the device illustrated in the drawing is formed from a sheet of flexible material, preferably cardboard, out to the proper size to form the tray I. The sheet is formed with a rectangular center or bottom 2,- which serves as a bottom of the tray, and along the long sides of this center portion are two generally rectangu` lar strips or sides 3 adapted to be folded up along the edges of portion 2 to positions at right angles to the bottom, 2, of the tray. The outside corners of the strips or sides 3 may be rounded as at 4 to enhance the appearance of the box and make it easier to insert in the transparent envelope l2, if it is used. Located centrally between the ends of strips or sides 3 and near the upper or outer edge, slits 5 may be formed to receive the ends of a long narrow strip 6 of material, out of which the tray is formed. Thus, when the sides 3 are folded to positions perpendicular to thebottom 2 of the tray l, one end of the strip 6 may be inserted through one of the slits 5 from the outside and the remaining portion of `strip 6 carried up, over and across the tray and folded down through the other slit 5, as shown in Fig. 1. l If desirable, the tray l may be formed with ectangular end pieces 1 (Fig. 5) which are gtormed at the smaller ends of bottom 2 of tray so that they may be folded up perpendicular to the bottom 2 in the same manner as strips 3. End pie-ces 1, however, are not adapted to extend as far up from lthe bottom 2 in their perpendicular positions as are strips 3.

A relatively thin layer of absorbent material 8, as cotton, is cut to lt the bottom 2 of tray l and is of suilcient size so that it extends part way up sides 3 when they are in a position perpendicular to bottom 2. (Figs. 1 and 2.) The other edges of the absorbent material 8 are formed to be flush with the ends of bottom 2 whether or not end pieces 'I are provided. This absorbent material 8 may be clamped to tray 2 by means cf clamps 9 or may be laid loosely in the tray and clamped or tied simultaneously with the ilowers I as indicated at Il. Likewise, the ilowers l may be attached to the absorbent material before it is placed in the` tray.

A transparent wrapping or envelope l2, preferably made from 300 M. S. T. cellophane, is adapted to be placed around the tray and enclosed flowers. It is important to note that this transparent material must be both moisture and waterproof and capable of being heat sealed in the conventional manner at its edges I3. As has been explained above, the tray may be wrapped in a sheet, or formed envelopes may be purchased, which eliminates the hermetic sealing at all but one end.

From the above description, it is evident that the'tray 2 is folded into shape and the absorbent material 3 is placed in position. The sides 3 are then folded up perpendicular to bottom 2 and strip 6, if it is to be used, is inserted in slits 5. End pieces 'l are also folded upwardly, if they are used. The absorbent material 8 is moist'ened if this was not done before itwas placed in tray 2. As explained above, the flowers I0 may be attached either before or after the absorbent material is placed in the tray. The tray is then wrapped in the transparent sheet or slipped into a transparent envelope, all the edges of which are hermetically sealed to prevent leakage of moisture and water vapor.

'It will be easily seen that our package forms an enclosure which insures that a layer of moist air and water vapor surrounds the ilowers at all times and yet the ilowers may be easily seen withouty disturbing the box, both from the top. and from the ends when end pieces 1 are not provided. It is no longer necessary to remove the lid to display them to prospective customers causing rapid evaporation of both the moisture in the absorbent material 8 as well as the water which is continually being given off by the flowers themselves. Thus, the flowers, by retaining their internal moisture are enabled to remain fresh for very long periods of time because (1) there is a layer of water vapor surrounding them at all times, creatinga pressure within said containenreacting against further water being given olf? by said ilowers; and (2) they are not frequently in con.- tact with ordinary dry air.

Our invention provides in addition to a moistureproof container, an attractive display pack.-` age which need not be opened to allow a customer to inspect the ilowers. This advantage is ofparticular value when the package is used by the retailer in selling` tothe public. Not onlyl are the flowers easily seen, but no longer is it necessary that they be completely wrapped in moist materials to keep them fresh. Any such wrapping, coming into contact with the petals, causes the flower to wilt and color, which objections have been entirely eliminated by our invention.

The particular kind of transparent enclosure used in our invention is adapted to be hermetically heat sealed and is, as well, a tough, pliable material which will stand rough handling without tearing or breaking. It is obvious that any material which is subject to tearing or cracking would be of no value both from the point of View of maintaining an air and moistureproof package and offering an attractive display package to a customer.

The material from which the tray is formed should preferably be a non-absorbent, moistureproof material.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A package comprising: a substantially rectangular blank of cardboard or the like; a sheet of moisture absorbent material secured to a side of said blank; a plurality of spaced flowers separately secured to said sheet of absorbent material on the side thereof opposite said blank and in positions with their blossoms facing outwardly of said sheet; single means securing each of said flowers to said sheet and securing said sheet to said blank; and a hermetically sealed, transparent container enclosing said sheet and said ilowers, said sheet being moistened for producing moisture of evaporation within said container, the walls of said container being relativenr thin, flexible material.

2. A container for fresh ilowers comprising a channel-like tray formed from a rectangular sheet of cardboard bent along parallel lines to provide the two opposed side walls and bottom wall of such channel, said bottom wall being adapted to support flowers thereon between said side walls, a pair of opposedly positioned slits respectively formed in said side walls, a strip having opposed end portions integral therewith substantially parallel with said side walls and extending through said slits with the central portion of said strip extending between the free edges of said side walls that are remote from said bottom wall, and an envelope enclosing said tray and said strip and holding said end portions of said strip from removal from said slits.

3. A container for fresh ilowers comprising a channel-like tray formed from a rectangular sheet of cardboard bent along parallel lines to provide the two opposed side walls and bottom wall of such channel, said bottom wall being adapted to support ilowers thereon between said side walls, a pair of opposedly positioned slits respectively formed'in said side walls, a strip having opposed end` portions integral therewith substantially parallelr with said side walls and extending through said slits with the central portion of said strip extending between .the free edges of said side walls that are remote fromy said bottom wall, and an envelope enclosing said. tray and' saidv strip and holding said end portions of said strip from removal from said slits, a pad-of absorbent material covering said bottom wall and extending over the portions of said side wall adjacent said botto-m wall.

WAKEMAN G. MCLELLAN. RODERICK I, MCLELLAN. WILSON J. FIELD. (STUSTAVE- H. POESGH. 

